1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of expanding and retracting the waist size of women's jeans, which is particularly needed during pregnancy. More specifically, the invention is a generally V-shaped insert for button-fly jeans or pants which expands the waist size of such front-buttoning garments. The insert allows the jeans or pants to be re-buttoned back to normal size when the pregnancy is over.
2. Related Art
Inevitably, a pregnant woman needs to acquire a new wardrobe, not only to accommodate the various stages of size expansion during pregnancy, but also to address the fact that some time passes, after giving birth, before one's normal size is re-attained. Over the years, various types of smocks, tops, and bottoms have been devised. In general, the various tops are designed to cover the entire abdominal area, including the top region of the bottom garment, that is of pants, slacks, or skirts. In general, many styles of tops, as long as they are wide and long, can be comfortable and attractive for the wearer. Designing the bottom garment to accommodate and support the expanded abdominal area has been much more vexing to the designer and of greater concern for appearance and comfort to the wearer.
For many years, slacks and skirts simply had the frontal area cut out, and this was expected to be concealed by a lengthy top. The slacks or skirt were usually just tied around or above the protruding area in order to stay up. Of course, this provided no support whatsoever, so when the stretch maternity panel (sewed in where the open space was) came on the market, it was hailed as a great improvement. This still really had the same disadvantages, the only difference being a slight amount of tummy support, and no exposure of body and/or underwear should the top be displaced slightly.
Various alternatives have since been offered. Notably, in the design of bottom apparel are, but not confined to, the following:
1) The Obi Kutsurogi (designer Barbie White; trademark "O.K."). This consists of a wide elastic band that begins in back and curves lower in the front to come just below the tummy. It doesn't cover the tummy, but acts as a saddle on which the tummy rests and is thus supported. Since it doesn't cover the tummy, the hemline remains unchanged by growth, a particular advantage to skirts.
2) The Shirred Panel (designer Marilyn Stern, for Ninth Moon.TM.). This garment is very similar in final effect to the O.K. .TM.-style, the main difference being it is a shirred panel which fully covers the tummy.
The above-described two developments in maternity wear have the same disadvantage: a panel which must be covered by a lengthy top. To avoid this disadvantage, the following have been devised:
3) The Harem Pant. These are cut and designed in such a manner that the expanding portion is actually in an elasticized back. This does not have the appearance of maternity wear, thus being a viable option of wearing apparel after pregnancy. A newer version of the harem pant has a soft elastic waistband that draws a large volume of fabric; thus the "one-size-fits-all" cliche applies, even to pregnant sizes.
4) Wrap pants. Most notably, designer Janit Baldwin has adapted a version from a traditional Japanese field pants wrap design, whereby each side of the pant is slitted, the back and front wrap as far as needed, and, at maximum expansion, the front and back don't overlap but tie at the side. This, as well as the harem pant, offers no abdominal or back support, and would not work well with skirts, as the hemline would constantly be changing.
5) The totally elasticized waistband. A good example of this style is the design of J. Edgar of California, who has created a skirt with drawcord elastic all the way around in the waistband. The front of the skirt is cut bigger and higher than on a normal skirt, creating a fairly unnoticeable pouch. By sewing in the seam at the "pouch" area in front, one can use the skirt after normal size is attained. Here again, the aforedescribed offers no particular support; additionally many would regard having to sew seams to remodel it to normal usage a nuisance.
6) "Sailor Pant" expandable waistband. This involves a buttoned and pleated waistband which is unbuttoned pleat by pleat as the waist expands and buttoned back closer as normal size is slowly attained after the pregnancy is over. The look in the front is that of an inverted pleat. Although a panel is not used, the appearance of this arrangement is that which one would normally prefer to have covered. Plus, it, too, has the disadvantage of no tummy support. Also, while practical enough for slacks, the skirt hemline is constantly in a state of change.
7) V-shaped elastic inserts. Such an insert is placed between the side seams of pants or skirts. This arrangement has the strong advantage of keeping the front as well as the back flat and even, and offering at least the same degree of support to the body as the normal garment. However, this kind of insert offers no means by which to use the same clothing after pregnancy.
None of the aforementioned maternity pant or skirt styles address the possibility of easily adapting pants or skirts one would have in their normal wardrobe for use during pregnancy and then easily converting these bottoms back to pre-pregnancy size. In addition to this, none feature a design in which the means by which the garment is converted to pregnancy wear is supportive of the expanded size as well as not permanently changing the normal entry opening in said garment. In addition, conventional maternity wear have the general appearance of pregnancy wear, that is, ballooned, blousy, or gathered.
Still, there is a need for an improvement in maternity wear that is simple in design and use. There is a need for a way to adapt normal pants or skirts to an expanded size during pregnancy, and to quickly and easily be re-convert them back to the smaller pre-pregnancy size. Additionally, there is a need for attractive, adapted clothing, preferably not having the appearance of conventional maternity wear, even though that is the purpose being served.